Odds and Ends

Alex Smith scored, but Joe Staley's block (No. 74, left, on the ground) pancaked the safety and sprung him.

What an interesting and entertaining weekend of football. Joe Porter's Pit Bulls are still frustrated by the Steelers and what could have been, so we'll overlook that for now and talk about what we saw this weekend.

Play-call of the Week:  Toss-up between San Francisco's game winning touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis or, perhaps even more astonishing ...

• San Francisco's quarterback sweep, down 24-23 to New Orleans, on 3rd-and-seven at the Saints' 28 yard line with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter. Already in field goal range, the 49ers had been facing 3rd-and-two but were penalized five yards to set them back to the 28 yard line. The Niners worked the sweep to perfection. Alex Smith never hesitated, the wide receiver in motion from that side executed a nasty crackback block on a Saints linebacker, and left tackle Joe Staley -- pulling at warp speed 10 yards ahead of Smith downfield, absolutely pancaked a New Orleans safety with a devastating block that sprung Smith the rest of the way.

• Who calls a quarterback sweep in that situation?  Or, these days, any situation? The safe call would have been a handoff up the middle to secure field-goal position.

• Only a few quarterbacks have the athleticism and speed to pull it off, and Alex Smith is not a name that leaps first to mind in that category (Cam Newton, Michael Vick).  Ben Roethlisberger moves well, especially laterally in the pocket, but he doesn't have the flat-out sprint ability that Smith showed on that play. Who knew?

Joe Staley and four-legged friend.

Block of the Week:  Pancake! Joe Staley's pulling block on that play -- His flat-out speed and "Faneca-like" finish on that play made us long for the days of such play on the offensive line for the Steelers. Max Starks did a mostly fantastic job this year for the Steelers, but his mobility is limited.

• Guys like Staley and Denver's Ryan Clady (who frustrated James Harrison the week before) don't grow on trees.  Both Staley and Clady were first-round draft choices -- and, you might recall, there was speculation that the Steelers were interested in him the year he was drafted (in April 2007).  Instead, the Steelers selected Lawrence Timmons with the 15th pick of the first round.  San Francisco took Staley with the 28th pick of the first round.  For what it's worth, Staley came out of Central Michigan -- same as Antonio Brown (three years later).

• It is time for the Steelers to improve the offensive line. Duh.

Vernon Davis holds onto the game-winner.

Just as gutsy a call as the quarterback sweep -- maybe more so -- was the game-winning touchdown pass from Smith to Vernon Davis.  Again, the safe call would have been a hand-off up the middle to solidify position for a game-tying field goal attempt  to force overtime and hope for the best.

Instead, the Niners went for the kill-shot.  A very risky pass into double-coverage in the middle of the field? Requiring a thread-the-needle throw that could just as easily have been intercepted?  Not many coaches make that call.  

Notable Game Plan of the Week: New England vs. Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.  A small accomplishment, you say, but did the Steelers so-called "top-rated defense" contain Tebow?  No.  The Patriots got a pass rush on Tebow -- imagine that! -- and blitzed him mercilessly.  The other notable thing about New England's game plan was that (predictably) it was completely different from the first time those two teams played, when Denver gashed the Patriots for 228 yards rushing (or something like that).

At this point, all we can do is watch.

• On Saturday, the Patriots had their big boys clog the middle while their back seven on defense spread their defensive formation wide -- much like Bill Parcells did when the Patriots stymied Kordell Stewart when New England defeated the Steelers in the playoffs way back when (1999?).  If there is one thing we've learned about Bill Belichick and the Patriots, it is that they will always change up their game plans for a second meeting between two teams.

• Considering two of the flashiest and highest-scoring teams -- Green Bay and New Orleans -- now have been bounced from the playoffs, you could make the case that the Giants and 49ers also had great defensive game plans. They did.  They also have pretty good personnel. as do the Patriots, by the way. Oh, yeah, and the Ravens.

Question: Was the Steelers' Season a Success?

Coda knows.

In the week following the Steelers' loss in Denver, the local sports-talk hosts debated ad nauseum whether the just-concluded season was a success. 

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have the answer. 

No.

An immediate, resounding, emphatic, unequivocal, no-doubt-about it, no-need-to-think-about-it no.  Nyet.  Nada.  No. No! No!! NO!!!

The goal every season is to win the Super Bowl. Enough said. 

Yeah, but they were 12-4 and ... ?  NO.  But they had the league's leading defense and ...  NO.  But they had so many injuries ... NO.  But Big Ben was hobbled and ... NO.

No excuses. No complaints.  They didn't do it.  Other questions persist, and we have months to debate them. If you want to debate just how good this team really was -- whether they coulda woulda shoulda had a better record or a worse one, that's one discussion.

Other topics open for debate include:

• Was the coaching largely ineffectual or mostly superb (just to get them to 12-4)?
• Is their talent mostly excellent, or is it sub-par in too many places?
• Are they geared to improve, or about to take a step back next season?  
• If your leading tackler is a safety (Ryan Clark), isn't that usually a bad thing?  
• Were some of the defensive stats a mirage?
• Were some of the weak spots in all three phases masked throughout the season?  Don't those weak spots merit some serious scrutiny?
• Doesn't the offensive line need to be rebuilt? Bye-bye, presumably, to at least of couple of the guys on the offensive line.
• What should they do in the draft and in free agency?  
• Will Bruce Arians return?  Should he?  
• Wouldn't it be nice to have more confidence in the place-kicker? 
• How about the status of some of the older and injured players?  Casey Hampton, Hines Ward, James Farrior, Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke, Max Starks, Larry Foote, Mewelde Moore, Willie Colon, Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch, etc.  Lots of question marks.  Just sayin'.  The status of some of these players is clouded by injury.  Some will retire.  Others, perhaps, should retire.  If they don't, will the Steelers welcome them back or bid them farewell?
• What about some of the young guys who still have a lot to prove?  Those would include Jason Worilds, Ryan Mundy, Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward, etc. Not that the high draft picks are in danger of losing a roster spot, but they will be expected to step up their game next season.  They will need to, big-time -- otherwise, the Steelers will struggle big-time.

Lots of questions. Whether the season was a success, however?  Well, that's not really even a question.

Questions

There goes the season.

As passionate as Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls are about the Steelers, we had a bad feeling going into Denver. The logical brain said, “This is a game the Steelers should win.”  The intuitive gut said, “This one could be trouble.”

It was. And we weren’t all that surprised. Tim Tebow has pulled enough rabbits out of his hat this season that after the overtime lightning bolt, you just had to shake your head and tip your cap to Tebow, John Fox and the Broncos for outplaying and outcoaching the Steelers. 

Tim Tebow doing his thing.

Of Tebow, we’d say, “God Bless,” but that seems to be taken care of already.

As for Fox, well, his name should be in the discussion for Coach of the Year. Clearly, he out-coached a Steelers’ staff that never seemed to make adjustments during the game and seemed ill-prepared for Denver's offensive game plan.

Lots of questions remain and, right now, few answers.

The Steelers need to sign Mike Wallace.

• Will the Steelers sign Mike Wallace to a new contract?  With the emergence of Antonio Brown as a go-to receiver, it’s almost easy to overlook the fact that Wallace was the Steelers’ leading receiver (both in receptions and yards). Wallace will command big money as a free agent. Given Brown’s breakthrough season as a legitimate NFL star and the Steelers’ MVP, will the Steelers be able to afford both Wallace and Brown (when his contract comes up)?  Can they afford not to sign Wallace?  It would be deeply disturbing to see him go to Baltimore or any other AFC contender, for that matter.

• Will Bruce Arians retire as offensive coordinator? Remember the reports from last off-season that Ben Roethlisberger persuaded Arians to come back for at least one more year?  It seems to fair to ask, then, whether Arians has retirement on his mind once again.

• Might it be wise to consider hiring a clock-management expert?  Given the pattern of poor clock management throughout the season, it’s worth discussing, although Mike Tomlin would surely disagree (vehemently).

• Will Dick LeBeau decide it’s time to retire?  It seems unlikely, but it is a legitimate question. LeBeau has earned the right for the decision to be his, and he has said he will continue coaching for as long as he possibly can.  What if he decides it’s time?  Presumably, linebackers coach Keith Butler would take over as defensive coordinator.

• Will Ike Redman supplant Rashard Mendenhall as the starter at running back? It seems a harsh but valid question. 

• Is it time to find a solid replacement for Casey Hampton?  His play declined this year.

Lots of other questions remain.  Lots of 'em.  We have plenty of time.  All we need are answers.

Flatfooted

Blah.  Feh.  Stinko.  The Steelers got Tebowed.

What just happened out there in Denver?

A lot of visiting teams left Denver asking that same question this year. On Sunday, it was the Steelers' turn.

The first quarter was just about all Steelers, but they could manage only two field goals. Tim Tebow abruptly became awesome while leading the Broncos to a 20-6 lead in stunning, spectacular fashion. The Steelers looked finished. Then, Ben Roethlisberger suddenly came to life, and the Steelers rallied to tie the game to force overtime.

Then ... Tebow Time!  

Now, we have all winter to critique the Steelers and second-guess Mike Tomlin for allowing Ben Roethlisberger to play after he injured his ankle in the first Cleveland game at Heinz Field on Dec. 8.

Not only did the coaching staff allow Roethlisberger to continue playing in that Cleveland game, they allowed him to play at San Francisco, against the Rams and at Cleveland, where he aggravated the injury.

In Denver, it showed.  Although he looked terrific in rallying the Steelers from a 14-point deficit, Roethlisberger looked mostly terrible for much of the game, as did the rest of the injury-ravaged team. 

Ike Taylor had an especially unfortunate game, and James Harrison often looked flat-footed and lost in space, as he floundered around chasing Tebow.  The Steelers' offensive line had trouble with Denver's pass rush, to put it mildly, and the receivers dropped at least a couple of passes.

This game was a microcosm of the entire season -- a roller-coaster ride of wild twists, turns, ups, downs and general unpredictability.  In the end, the Steelers didn't play well enough to win.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

At this point, we'd just as soon see Tim Tebow as anybody else represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

As long as the Harbaugh brothers don't both advance to the Super Bowl ... that would be insufferable and, really, just too much.

On the Road Again

Finally, some real football (no offense, Pitt), and the Steelers are right where they should be: The Playoffs.

Road games?  No problem.  Everybody in Denver knows Steeler fans will be out in force today, and even coach John Fox talked about it earlier in the week.

Whatever. This game looks winnable, even with the Steelers diminished by injury and adversity, including the awful situation of assistant coach Kirby Wison.

Could the Broncos win?  Absolutely.  The Broncos should use the same formula they rode on their six-game winning streak: Keep the game close, run the ball effectively, create turnovers, boom some punts and long field goals, and -- last, of course, let Tim Tebow do his magic in Tebow Time (Tebow Time!)  For some reason, we have a strange foreboding the Broncos' Eddie Royal may have a long punt return today.

If all that happens, the Steelers deserve to lose, and we will have a long, cold off-season to second-guess all kinds of things -- especially the decision to allow Big Ben to play after he got injured in the first Cleveland game.  Still, this is a game the Steelers should win.

Somehow, the Steelers ended up with the NFL's top-rated defense again.  Statistics can be misleading, though, and the Broncos should stick to what they do best -- run the ball.  It's their best hope.  As magical as Tim Tebow was earlier this season, he has not seen a defense like the one Dick LeBeau and the Steelers will present to him today.

This should be a fun game to watch. Then, hopefully, it's on to New England.

Quote of the Week:

“I met with Ryan Clark and I informed him I am not going to allow him to play in this game for obvious reasons,” said Coach Mike Tomlin.  “It’s a big game for us, but it is a game."

Puts Things in Perspective

Steelers' running backs coach Kirby Wilson is one of those guys who labors in relative obscurity. We fans never think much about him, just as we never gave much thought to his predecessor, Dick Hoak, who spent 34 years as the team's running backs coach.

Wilson, who's been with the Steelers for the past five years, joined the Steelers' extended family after Hoak retired in 2007. Wilson never played in the NFL, yet he has two Super Bowl rings earned as a running backs coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001) and with the Steelers (2008).

Having played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for two years, Wilson's been a career football coach since 1985.  He's labored at colleges small (Pasadena City College and Southwest Los Angeles Community College), and large (Southern Illinois, Wyoming, Iowa State), and really big-time (Southern California). He joined the NFL coaching ranks in 1997 and has been with four teams (New England, Washington, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh).

Kirby Wilson is one of those dedicated guys who shows up early; stays late; seems content to stay in the background; and coaches up his guys, the running backs, through good times and bad, through injuries (Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore), fumbles (Isaac Redman) and new beginnings (Chad Spann and John Clay).

That was just this past week, by the way. And then the fire that put Wilson in a medically induced coma.

Think about what Wilson has had to deal with the past few days, beginning Sunday, New Year's Day:

• Rashard Mendenhall, the starting running back, goes down with a knee injury that puts him on injured reserve and ends his season. Wilson would have had to deal with that, and all it entails.
• Isaac Redman, his replacement, fumbles twice in the game against Cleveland. Redman's fumbles are uncharacteristic for him and, despite playing well otherwise, the fumbles draw unwanted attention in the media and raise concerns that they might become a pattern, especially now that Redman becomes the starter and primary ball carrier for the first time in his young NFL career.  Wilson would have had to deal with that, and all it entails.
• The status of backup Mewelde Moore, who has been struggling with injuries, remains uncertain. Wilson would have had to deal with that.
• With just two healthy running backs (Redman and Clay, a rookie activated off the practice squad just a few weeks ago), the Steelers activate newcomer Chad Spann, a 23-year-old rookie out of Northern Illinois whose head must be spinning. The Steelers were Spann's third NFL practice squad since September. Wilson would have had to deal with helping Clay and Spann prepare for the game in Denver.

All that was just this past week. And then the house fire that burned half his body and put him in a medically induced coma.  Kind of puts things in perspective. Our Thoughts and Prayers Are With Kirby Wilson, his five children and the rest of his family.

Santonio or Antonio?

Steelers MVP Antonio Brown

Do you think the New York Jets would take a fifth-round draft choice for Santonio Holmes about now?  That's what the Jets sent to the Steelers for Holmes two years ago. The Steelers then flipped that fifth-round choice to Arizona for Bryant McFadden.

The Cardinals used the draft choice to select quarterback John Skelton (out of Fordham). 

So, maybe the question should be: Do you think the Jets would accept a trade of John Skelton for Santonio Holmes? Given the recent performance of Mark Sanchez, yeah, probably. Trouble is, the Cardinals probably wouldn't go for it.

Holmes, a Super Bowl MVP for the Steelers, can be an amazing and great receiver, but it's funny how NFL observers now are saying the Steelers knew what they were doing when they got rid of hm -- and, more to the point, how Pittsburgh seems not to miss him, not with the emergence of team MVP Antonio Brown, who was much, much more productive than Holmes this year. So, yeah, we're pretty happy with how things have worked out, and we'd rather have Antonio than Santonio.

On another front, columnist Joe Posnanski offers an awesome breakdown of the Oakland Raiders' All-Time Penalties Record and how they attained it this year. Picking up his column about halfway through ... (after the "Read More" jump, below):

A New Year, A New Season

Time for the Steelers to step up.

The Playoffs. Shrug.*

First, a hearty congratulations to Hines Ward for his 1,000 career receptions.

Looking forward, how will the Steelers do this post-season?  How healthy will they be?  Will they win three games on the road?  Will they win even one?

Tough to say.  This is a tricky team to read.  The Steelers' defense was rated No. 1 in the NFL in passing yards per game (171.9) and total yards per game (271.8).  Still, this doesn't look like a Super Bowl team. Super Bowl teams don't surrender a 92-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to Joe Flacco, lose twice to the Baltimore Ravens, let the Houston Texans run roughshod over them or struggle mightily in two games vs. the Browns, who once again had a chance to win at the end of the game.

We're hoping for more, but (realistically) this Steelers team looks like a moderately good team with a decent chance to win a playoff game on the road -- and then maybe get on a roll and hope for the best.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would feel a lot more confident if the team wasn't so banged up. Big Ben, who is not near 100 percent and won't be for months. Starting running back Rashard Mendenhall (out for the season) and backup, clutch third-down running back Mewelde Moore.  Offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey, Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster, as well as tight end David Johnson.  Star linebacker and pass-rushing monster Lamarr Woodley.  Valuable cornerbacks Keenan Lewis and Cortez Allen, as well as backup corner and special teams contributor Curtis Brown (on injured reserve).  Special teams leaders Arnaz Battle and Will Allen.  The defense's leading tackler, safety Ryan Clark, who will should miss Sunday's game in Denver because of his vulnerability to sickle cell trait. And so on.

Another wacky season. And another one just beginning.

Hello, Denver.  Tebow Time! 

Tim Tebow completed just six of 22 passes vs. the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, as the Broncos scored a mere three points in their 7-3 loss in the season finale. The Broncos won the AFC West, however, and with it the right to host the Steelers next Sunday in the first round of the AFC Playoffs.

At a glance, this should be a winnable game for the Steelers, but the Broncos have a very good running game -- they led the NFL in rushing with 164.5 yards per game; a very good defense -- with stellar pass rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumerville; a mile-high home-field advantage; and a tremendous long-range field-goal kicker in Matt Prater, who could make the difference in a close game.

Denver could win. Stranger things have happened.  Let's put it this way: If the Steelers play the Broncos the way they played the Browns yesterday in Cleveland, they lose.

About The Chokeland Raiders: Any team that brings in Carson Palmer to save its season deserves what it gets. Not that it would have been any easier than going to Denver, but the Steelers would be traveling to Oakland if only the Raiders hadn't self-sabotaged once again on Sunday.

In true Raiders fashion, Oakland lost to San Diego by setting the all-time NFL record for most penalties and most penalty yards in a season.  Averaging more than 10 penalties per game this year, the Raiders finished the season with 163 penalties for 1,358 yards -- which surpasses their own trend for, oh, about the past 35 years. Pride and poise, baby.


Think about that for a second: The Raiders' 1,358 yards in penalties are roughly equivalent to the 1,364 yards rushing accumulated by the NFL's second-leading rusher, Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens. That's a lot of penalty yards to negate and overcome.  By comparison, in case you were wondering, the Steelers finished in the middle of the pack (16th) in penalties and penalty yards (14th).

Goodbye, Raiders, Jets, Cowboys and other clowns. Time to start anew.

Forget Tebow Time. The Playoffs Are Steeler Time.

*The Playoffs. Shrug?  Yeah, we Steeler fans are spoiled, and we have high expectations. That doesn't mean we are unappreciative of our team or how good we have it.  It also doesn't mean we'd rather live in Cleveland, or Arizona, or Cincinnati, or Tampa, or Charlotte, or Seattle, or Dallas, or Atlanta, or Philadelphia, or Long Island, or anywhere else that does or doesn't have an NFL team.  It just means we expect our team, the Steelers, to do well -- and we expect the players and everybody else in Steeler Nation to feel the same way.  Anything wrong with that?

Okay, so the Steelers made it to the playoffs. We've known that for weeks. Now it's time to start paying attention.

Happy New Year!

Artwork credit: Trevor, whoever that is, but it's a nice graphic, so thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas!

Where are we?

A fortnight before Christmas, and it's a good time to take stock.

The schedule lets Steeler fans take a breather this weekend before the team travels to San Francisco to play the 49ers, who are 10-2 and have clinched a playoff spot already. Tomorrow, San Francisco squares off against Kevin Kolb and the Arizona Cardinals, who somehow beat the Dallas Cowboys last week.

After the Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers 16-6 on Nov. 24, Baltimore running back Ray Rice said San Francisco's defense was "the best we've played, by far."  Presumably, then, since the Ravens had already beaten the Steelers twice, Rice meant the 49ers defense was better than Pittsburgh's.

William Gay saved the day late in the game vs. Cleveland.

Maybe, maybe not. We shall find out a week from Monday. More relevant is just what kind of team the Steelers have. Really, what can we expect from week to week?  Hard to say. The Steelers have been up and down all season. Then again, so have the Ravens ... and the Steelers are the first AFC team to reach 10 wins.

Any other AFC team would love to have 10 wins -- so, yes, we Steeler fans are spoiled and have high expectations. Maybe we're cautious about getting too excited because we're too close to this team. We see the warts.

That will cost James Harrison.

The Steelers may be without Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey and James Harrison when they go to San Francisco. Roethlisberger may play, but his high ankle sprain will hamper him for several weeks. High ankle sprains are notoriously problematic and slow to heal. Roethlisberger probably shouldn't play for two or three weeks, but he almost certainly will play in San Francisco. 

James Harrison may not have a choice. 

Rodney Harrison, former NFL safety now serving as a commenter on the NFL Network, whom players routinely voted as the "Dirtiest Player in the NFL" ... Rodney Harrison, of all people, says James Harrison "has to be suspended" for his hit on Colt McCoy and his history of such hits.

James Harrison's handiwork.

Rodney Harrison, who admits he was "the poster boy" for dirty play and NFL fines (having paid more than $300,000 for questionable hits during his own NFL career), says nothing short of a suspension will get James Harrison's attention and make him even think twice about adjusting his style of play.

It is entirely possible the commissioner's office will agree.

To have any chance of winning the AFC North, the Steelers must win their remaining three games: 

• at San Francisco on the evening of Monday, Dec. 19
• at home vs. St. Louis on Saturday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve
  
• at Cleveland on New Year's Day
  

Baltimore has four games:

• at home tomorrow vs. the Colts
  
• at San Diego on Sunday, Dec. 18
• at home vs. the Browns on Christmas Eve
• at Cincinnati on New Year's Day

There you have it. Maybe San Diego and/or Cincinnati knocks off the Ravens. Maybe not. No matter. The Steelers must win the rest of their games -- regular season and post-season. 

Looking Ahead

Mike Wallace, going for paydirt.

Because the Steelers allowed that last-minute 92-yard touchdown drive against the Ravens at Heinz Field on Nov. 18, they put themselves in a position where they must win out to have any chance of winning the division.

Let's assume the Steelers win their remaining three regular-season games and enter the playoffs as a wild-card. That means they would be on a seven-game winning streak entering the playoffs and would have won 12 of 13 dating back to their 17-10 loss in Houston Oct. 2.

Entering the playoffs, then, they would need four additional wins to claim the Super Bowl trophy. Those four wins on top of the seven-game winning streak entering the playoffs would make an eleven-game winning streak and 16 wins in 17 games dating back to Oct. 2. They do that, and they deserve to win the Super Bowl -- but then, they may be facing a Green Bay squad gunning for a perfect 19-0 record. This could get interesting.

Another Ugly Win

Down but not out

Charlie Batch is better than Seneca Wallace.  But we knew that already.

Was that even NFL football last night?

Ugly game last night, but we'll take the win. It was tough to watch, and not just because some of the injuries were cringe-worthy (Ben's leg, Troy's shoulder, Colt McCoy's concussion).

It was an ugly game the Steelers almost lost, except the Browns wouldn't let the Steelers give it away. Twelve penalties (including three calls on Chris Kemoeatu) and three turnovers (two in the red zone) by the Steelers -- no flow to the game whatsoever.

You could say the Steelers were terrific on defense, or you could say the Browns are terrible on offense.  The fact is, however, the Browns nearly pulled out a victory. Cleveland may well have done so, except for James Harrison's helmet-to-facemask hit that knocked Colt McCoy out of the game (temporarily) with a concussion.

McCoy says he doesn't even remember the hit, which says all you need to know about how sharp he was afterward. No wonder McCoy then committed intentional grounding and threw a  pivotal interception -- the real question is why the Browns even allowed him back in the game. Clearly, he'd sustained "concussion-like symptoms."

Well, that's on their coaching staff, and Cleveland fans must be wondering why they can't get a better backup than Seneca Wallace.

Ugly game. Big Ben held onto the ball way too long on the play he got injured. Makes you wonder how he could not have sensed the pressure that finally descended upon him.

Besides getting the win, the best thing about this game is that it's over, the Steelers won, and they have 11 days before their next game, Monday night, Dec. 19, in San Francisco.

Send in the Clowns

Ernie Green

It's Browns vs. Steelers.  That's all that needs to be said.  

Yeah, the intensity of the rivalry has been down the past few years, if only because the Browns have been so bad, but this rivalry has deep roots.   

Let’s put this in historical context:

1966: Cleveland 41, Pittsburgh 10

 Quote from Cleveland fullback Ernie Green:
“It was like running downhill.”

It's Browns vs. Steelers, at Heinz Field, on Prime Time national television.  The Steelers must win this game.

As It Should Be

So the Bengals thought they could play with the big boys, eh?  Not so fast!

All we kept hearing out of Cincinnati after they played tough but lost to the Steelers Nov. 13 was how they proved in defeat that they could play with the Steelers, Ravens and other top-tier teams in the NFL.  Apparently not.

Antonio Brown scores on a 60-yard punt return in the second quarter vs. Cincinnati.

It's December, and it's time to step up or step aside. The Steelers stepped up and, true to form, the Bengals stepped aside, where they belong. The Bengals made way too many mistakes today and deserved to lose.

The Bengals drop to 7-5, with the Texans, Rams, Cardinals and Ravens left on their schedule.  The Rams are their only road game.

Now, the Bengals are in a dogfight with the Jets,Titans, and Broncos or Raiders (all 7-5) for a wild-card playoff spot. The Bengals still have only win this season over a team with a winning record.

Afterwords

• Let's hope Antonio Brown is okay after that wicked rib shot he took from safety Reggie Nelson in the fourth quarter. Let's hope Lamarr Woodley and Ramon Foster are healthy, too.
• The radio announcers lagged the television broadcast badly -- by about 12-15 seconds each play. Nearly every play shown on TV would be over as Bill Hillgrove would be starting the play-call on radio. At times, the TV would be starting a replay even as Hillgrove was calling the play. This was as bad as we've ever seen it. Generally, we prefer listening to the radio broadcast, but this was ridiculous and totally unnecessary. Blame Janet Jackson.
• In other games, can you believe Tim Tebow? Good for him. As it stands now, the Steelers would be going to Denver for a first-round playoff game. Also, can you believe the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears? Good for Pittsburgh's own Tyler Palko. He threw for only 157 yards but threw no interceptions and notched his first career touchdown pass on a Hail Mary -- and won.
• Next up for the Steelers: The Browns at Heinz Field, Thursday night.  Then, an 11-day break before a trip to San Francisco Dec. 19; the Rams at Heinz Field on Christmas Eve; and at Cleveland News Year's Day.  Happy New Year!

Saturday Preview: The Bengals, Again

A.J. Green hauling in a touchdown reception.

Just three weeks ago, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls offered a Saturday Preview of the Cincinnati Bengals, and here we are again. Since that Nov. 13 game vs. the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium, the Steelers have played one game and the Bengals two.

The Steelers enjoyed a week off before Thanksgiving and more or less took the next week off, too, narrowly squeaking by the woefully inept and injury-depleted Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday night.  The Bengals played two tough games, a narrow loss at Baltimore and a narrow win at home over Cleveland.

The Bengals are gaining confidence and will be a tough game for the Steelers tomorrow.

Following their loss to the Steelers at home on Nov. 13, the Bengals were crowing about how their defense adjusted to what the Steelers were doing on offense, and how defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer's front seven rotation kept their defense fresh and their pass rush stoked.

Antonio Brown vs. Cincinnati, Nov. 13.

Think the Steelers might use more no-huddle at Heinz Field?  It would make sense. Going no-huddle or hurry-up would limit defensive replacements in the Bengals defensive rotation. Last time, the Steelers waited until the third quarter before going no-huddle. When they finally did, the no-huddle gave them a shot of energy and led to the decisive touchdown.

Looking back, it is understandable, perhaps, that Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians were reluctant to go no-huddle on the road last Sunday at noisy Arrowhead Stadium and the week before at Paul Brown Stadium, even with its healthy contingent of fans in Black 'n Gold. This time? This time the Steelers are at home. We would like to see the no-huddle early and often.

The Bengals' Offense

In the first game, running back Cedric Benson had only 15 carries. Maybe Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Jay Gruden outsmarted themselves by not running the ball more. Coaches do that.

Yes, the Steelers jumped to an early 14-0 lead, which forced the Bengals had to play catch-up, but they had plenty of time. Big Ben threw a first-half iinterception that helped the Bengals stay in the game, and Cincinnati tied the score with their first drive of the third quarter, so there was indeed plenty of time for them to operate.

We might see more emphasis on the run tomorrow. As noted on this blog before the first match-up, the Bengals have three very good running backs, each of whom has had success against the Steelers.  Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard can play, and Marvin Lewis would be foolish to not use them.

On the other hand, the Bengals also have some excellent receivers, starting with first-round draft choice Adriel Jeremiah Green -- A.J. Green -- who is merely awesome. With his height, wingspan, reach, hands, speed and body control, Green evokes comparisons to Detroit's Calvin Johnson, Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Houston's Andre Johnson. Green already is Cincinnati's best receiver, and he's only getting better, but the Bengals have several other cats who can play, too.

Andrew Hawkins

In his Tuesday news conference, Mike Tomlin singled out 25-year-old rookie Andrew Hawkins, who had a coming-out party of sorts against the Steelers, with five catches for 56 yards. Hawkins is very quick-fast, which makes him ideal for the slot receiver position he now plays. Hawkins, a native of Johnstown , Pa., played four years at the University of Toledo and two years in the Canadian Football League. He has found a home in Cincinnati, and the Steelers will have to account for him. Too bad.

Apparently, Andrew Hawkins could have been a Steeler, at least according to his older brother, Artrell Hawkins, who played defensive back for the Steelers briefly a few years ago and helped coach the Steelers secondary this past training camp as an intern.  Artrell says the Steelers had no interest in his little (5'7") brother. They'd better take an interest in him tomorrow, and Tomlin's comments in Tuesday's news conference indicate that he has their attention.

According to Bengals.com, after that first game, "The Steelers told Artrell that Troy Polamalu went to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and urged him, "Get us out of this fire zone (blitz) and give me something I can sit on," because of Hawkins’s speed. Then when Green went down, that package was gone because Hawkins had to go to the slot while Caldwell went to the outside."

Other Bengals receivers pose problems, too, particularly deep threat Jerome Simpson and tight end Jermaine Grisham. Possession receiver Andre Caldwell, whom we wanted the Steelers to draft a couple years ago out of the University of Florida, has hurt the Steelers before. He has good hands, a knack for getting open and is a good blocker.

So, yes, with Andy Dalton leading the way, the Bengals have plenty of firepower on offense, and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is excellent at getting the most out of his squad, particularly his talented and deep front seven. The Steelers had trouble handling Cincinnati's pass rush last time, when the Bengals notched five sacks. The Steelers are going to have to do better tomorrow, but they should know what to expect. 

This game is no gimme, and make no mistake: This is a must-win game.

Tomlin Tuesday: Cautiously Optimistic About Troy

It was reasonable to expect the health of Troy Polamalu to be the first topic of discussion today in Mike Tomlin's weekly news conference.

Interestingly, however, as if to downplay the seriousness of Polamalu's "concussion-like symptoms," Tomlin opened his news conference not by discussing injuries as he usually does, but by singling out a heretofore unheralded Bengals slot receiver by the name of Andrew Hawkins, an NFL rookie with two years experience in the Canadian Football League and four years at the University of Toledo.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not thinking about Andrew Hawkins, who might as well be former Steeler Courtney Hawkins. We don't care about Andrew Hawkins, whom Tomlin mentioned in the same breath as Wes Welker, for crying out loud.

We do care about Troy Polamalu, and Tomlin suggested he is cautiously optimistic Polamalu will be fine.

“If we are going to err, we are going to err on the side of caution when it comes to health, particularly from a head injury standpoint," Tomlin said. "I have no issue with that. We lean on the expert advice of our medical staff. Troy’s been good. We anticipate it being a non-issue moving forward this week.”

Let's hope so.

An ugly win is still a win.

Brett Keisel left Arrowhead a winner.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls gotta admit: It was tough to get up for the Steelers' visit to Kansas City.  Tell ya the truth, it's also tough to get too worked up over the Steelers' phugly 13-9 win over the Chiefs last night. The Steelers survived; it's a win; time to move on.

Maybe it was a combination of the bye week, the Thanksgiving weekend, the start of the Christmas shopping season, and the prospect of facing a so-so Kansas City Chiefs team hit hard by injuries to its star running back (Jamal Charles) and starting quarterback (Matt Cassell). The buildup to last night's game just felt flat. And the Steelers almost fell flat.

Fortunately for the Steelers, former Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, a Pittsburgh native son and by all accounts a good guy you'd like to see do well, really wasn't up to the challenge last night. Palko was plucky, but his fumble and three interceptions belonged in the WPIAL, not the NFL.

Still, Palko the Chiefs' 23rd-ranked defense kept the Chiefs in the game until Palko's last-minute overthrow that star receiver Dwayne Bove seemed to alligator-arm but really had no chance to catch. Maybe Bove thought the pass was intended for another receiver behind him?  Maybe he didn't try for the ball because he didn't want to get hit? Whatever.

There's not much point over-analyzing this ugly win. The Steelers' big concern is the health of Troy Polamalu, who may or may not have yet another concussion. Very worrisome. We'll see what coach Mike Tomlin will say in Tuesday's news conference. Let's hope for the best.

Next up for the 8-3 Steelers: The 7-4 Cincinnati Bengals, at Heinz Field.  If the season ended today, the Steelers would be the AFC's first wild card; the Bengals would be the second wild card.